Below you'll find links to favorite designers and distributors of great designs. Each link will bring up an extra window in your browser, which you can re-size and look around in, while keeping a window open to my site. If you have questions about prices or availability of designs and kits, just send me an e-mail at theresa@shakespearespeddler.com.
Norden Crafts: You'll find a lot of designers here which are less than "main stream" and more than interesting. This is also a good reference for fibers, fabrics, tools and extras.
Wichelt Imports: carries a lot of designs from the United Kingdom, as well as old favorites here at home. You'll also find this site a great fabric reference.
Bent Creek: These designs are folk-style and whimsical. I've stitched more than a few. They offer a lot of seasonal pieces, samplers, and kits.
Birds of a Feather: has such a distinct style -- grounded in the "old" with a new edge to it. Their hand-dyed fabrics are used in a lot of these pieces. The Halloween ones are my favorites.
Blackbird Designs: are hot hot hot -- they dapple in quilting, primitive stitch, and cross stitch samplers and other fun pieces. I have customers who can't get enough from Barb and Alma!
Blue Ribbon Designs: neat samplers and fun projects to stitch with seasonal themes.
Brightneedle: designs are distinctive and fun. I love the lettering style you'll find on these samplers, and the colors are really unlike anything else out there. Folksy, but whimsical, you're sure to find more than a few you have to have for your stash.
Brittercup Designs: Cute seasonal pieces and fun stylized pieces of pets and animals.
Carriage House Samplings: Primitive style samplers and other designs -- some fantastic old-lookin' things here, and one of my constant favorites.
Country Cottage Needleworks: These shabby (yet chic!) patterns are reminiscent of Prairie Schooler, and Little House Needleworks (of course...she's Diane's daughter!) But they're uniquely peaceful and fun to stitch.
Country Garden Stitchery: Soft pastels and a unique, almost watercolour style of designing make this designer a favorite for my customers.
Cross-Eyed Cricket: This designer's been around for years, and there's a reason why. Cute, fun designs in whimsical colours, and great ideas, too.
The Drawn Thread: charts are so pretty -- you'll marvel at Cynthia's subtle use of colors, designs and embellishments (many of which come with the charts). Some of these are kits.
Fanci That: designs are so much fun, because you get to work on hand-dyed linens with overdyed flosses. These wacky and folksy designs have found many a devoted fan.
Full Circle Designs: offers a lot of pretty samplers with really nice color schemes.
Heart in Hand: These designs are simple but cute and would be quick stitchers for upcoming birthdays, Christmas, or other holidays. And most of their charts are inexpensive and small, which make them even more appealing as "little quickies."
The Heart's Content: Maureen's over-one and silk gauze kits (and charts) are top notch -- you won't find any kit or set of instructions more complete. Don't be scared by the fine nature of the work -- once you get started, you'll be hooked.
Homespun Elegance: These folksy designs are fun and quick to stitch. Classic country style perfect for holidays or any time make these stitchers' favorites.
Just Nan: is a favorite with many stitchers. Her lovely samplers, and beautiful colors are something you're sure to enjoy stitching. She often encorporates many different types of stitches in a chart, but her directions are very clear.
Little House Needleworks: Diane's designs are timeless samplers, often with houses as the central focus. They're inexpensive projects, too, and perfect for any skill level. I've got a collection of her designs in my own stash!
Lizzie Kate: Linda uses Sampler Threads overdyed six-stranded cotton floss for her designs, but includes a DMC equivalent. Hers are some of my favorite designs, because they have a real sense of humor about them, and they're fun to stitch.
Long Dog: These marvelous samplers have won over stitchers all over the US and beyond. The colors are bold, the designs interesting, and some of these will just take your breath away. A limited number of shops in the US carry these -- I buy direct from the designer in France.
M Designs: home of the popular tree ornament series, you'll also find pretty samplers and seasonal pieces here.
Mill Hill: carries cute beaded and buttoned kits and has some very fine charts as well. I also carry (and can special order) their buttons, beads and treasures.
Mirabilia: These designs are primarily fantasy themes and storybook scenes done in wonderful stranded cottons and metallics.
Monster Bubbles: OK, some of these designs are just weird, and some are wonderful (and some are both!)
Mosey N Me: Fun and funky folk designs. You'll find some freebie designs on this site, too!
Mount Forest Frameworks: cute folk-style designs AND the cutest frames to match! It's a lot of fun to look around here.
Mystic Stitch: These designs are stitch-full, and folk-style terrific. Solid stitching (so stitch on your favorite count/type of fabric) and great colors make these cross stitch classics.
Pine Mountain Designs: great projects that require no finishing! Tuckaway pillows and tie ons, wrap around and punchneedle, too!
Plum Street Samplers: A wonderful old folksy style of samplers, in new colors. Always popular.
Prairie Moon: REALLY primitive designs...perfect if you love folk art at its most basic. Love their stocking series and their seasonal things.
The Prairie Schooler designs are cute, simple, and classic cross stitch. Lots of holiday and other original ideas for needlework pieces. Color choices, I think, are especially nice. And with each design you get several different charts around a theme, so they're a good deal.
Praiseworthy Stitches: A combination of funky folk and old school style samplers and the like, done in fun threads on funky fabrics.
Raise the Roof Designs is a project I'm involved in. Sue Rainer and I like to design pieces that are different and a lot of fun. You'll find there our popular series of clotheslines and fences, as well as lots of other fun offerings. Updated regularly with what's new! Check out the teases and taunts page for a glimpse of what is on the horizon.
SamSarah Design Studio: unique ideas and a great eye for color and simple design. Plus, Patti is one cool chick!
Shepherd's Bush: These designs are cute, and simple. And I'm a sucker for the charms, beads, silks and goodies that come with the kits (have more than a few hanging on my walls!)
Trail Creek Farm: these designs are fun to finish, because you can get the accompanying pillows, bags and other goodies to go with them.
Twisted Threads: Ruth's over-one designs are perfect for the person just beginning over-one, but they're "cool" enough for even the most experienced over-one fanatic! Lots of over-two designs as well. Funny, sentimental, silly and just nice.
The Victoria Sampler: these designs are lovely samplers, with lots of fun stitches to try. You can get the embellishment and accessory packs to go with them, so you don't have to buy full skeins of silks and other specialty fibers.
Waxing Moon Designs: this company offers a lot of fun seasonal designs that often come in series (like the four seasons, or holidays).
With My Needle produces great charts of historic and historic-style samplers. Wonderful Colonial colors, and simply marveous keepsakes. You'll never get tired of these!
© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com